Spencer fire chief questions CPR classes at David Prouty

Friday

Jan 10, 2014 at 6:00 AMJan 10, 2014 at 7:30 PM

By Kim Ring TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

SPENCER — Students who signed up for a half-credit CPR and first aid class at David Prouty High School have been watching unrelated movies and they're being charged for CPR cards that the Red Cross hands out for free, Spencer Fire Chief Robert P. Parsons told the school committee.

Chief Parsons said he was angry when he learned that the students hadn't been taught two-person CPR and only knew how to put on a sling after taking the class, which consumes 75 hours. He said he talked to his child about the classes and learned that students had watched "50 First Dates," "Avatar" and "Skyfall" during the time scheduled for them to learn first aid.

"This is the kind of thing I hear from my kids that makes me not want to support the school system as much as I want to," Chief Parsons said.

After researching what kinds of classes are available, the chief said, he learned that the American Red Cross CPR class is 3½ hours long and a similar class for professional rescuers such as firefighters is just 4½ hours. A class that teaches "every bit of first aid" lasts 30 hours.

In 150 hours the students could earn their EMT certification, he said, suggesting the class time be doubled so interested students could achieve that.

He said the American Red Cross does not charge for CPR cards and questioned where the $27 his son was asked to pay for the card was going.

The chief offered to come in and teach courses related to the topic along with basic firefighting skills, but was told he is not a certified teacher, so that wouldn't be allowed.

School committee members voted to ask School Superintendent Edward Malvey to look into the matter and report back.

Chief Parsons said that in the past, when he has spoken at committee meetings, there have been repercussions on his children and if that happens again, he will be back to speak with them again.